Trestle.



PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903 s. G. MORTIMER.

TRESTLB.

UNITED STATES Patented August 25, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

TRESTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 737,000, dated August 25, 1903. Applicatioufiled M y 2, 1903- Serial No. 155,442. (No model.)

To all whom it m g/y concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL GEORGE MOR- TIMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellefourehe, in the county of Butte and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trestles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates to certain new and useful improvements in trestles such as are commonly used by carpenters, painters, paperhangers, &c., to support the scaffold upon which they work; and it consists of certain novel features of combination and construction of parts, the preferred form whereof will be hereinafter clearly set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

My main object is to provide a device that will be strong and durable and one that may be quickly and easily assembled and taken apart.

A further. object is to so construct the cooperating parts that when taken apart they may be placed in a compact bundle for storage or moving from place to place.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter made clearly apparent, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, made a part of this application, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved trestle complete and ready for use. Fig. 2 is an end View thereof, partly in elevation and partly in, section; and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the supporting-legs.

In order to conveniently refer to the variousdetails of my invention, numerals will be employed, the same numeral referring to a similar part throughout the several views, referring to which-- 1 indicates the supporting-legs of my device, and 2 the horizontally-disposed, support or cross-bar. The legs 1 are reduced at their upper endand adapted to take into the socket portion 3 of the metal clamping-pieces 4. The clamping-pieces 4 are provided at their free ends with clamping-faces 5, said faces having lugs 6 cast integral therewith for a purpose hereinafter more clearly set forth.

structed that when a heavy weight is placed upon the trestle and the crossbar inclined to give the weight will cause the edge of said ledge to take into the lower edge of the crossbar 2, and thus act to draw the face of the members 4 tighter against the sides of the cross-bar 2.

The legs 1 and clamping-plates 4B are designed to be made in pairs and are secured to the'cross-bar 2 by means of a bolt 8 passing through an orifice in one of the clamping-pieces, through an orifice in the cross-bar, and is then screwed into a threaded orifice 9 in the opposite clamping member. One end of the bolt 8. is provided with a suitable flat or winged head 10, as shown, thereby providing a means whereby the bolt may be manually turned, the opposite end of said bolt being threaded to enter the threaded orifice 9.

The legs or supports 1 are removably secured in the sockets 3 by meausof the setscrews 11 or the like, said screw being adapted totake into a threaded orifice in one of the side walls of said socket, and when turned home the free end of said screw impinges against the reduced end of the leg 1 and holds the same in placeuntil such time as the setscrew is removed.

The legs 1 are spread apart at their lower end, and without a supplementary brace the bolt 8 would not be strong enough to prevent said legs from spreading when weight was placed upon the cross-bar 2, and to this end I have provided a chain 12, said chain being secured at each end between ears 13, carried by the clamping members 4, by the bolts or pins 14. The chain 12 is provided with a turnbuckle 15, which may be of any preferred construction, adapted to tighten the chain andihold the legs in place.

When it is desired to assemble the several parts of my device, the legs 1. are placed and secured in the sockets 3, the bar 2 placed between the clamping-faces 5, and the bolt 8 inserted and turned home until the lugs 6 are driven their full length into said crossbar, said lugs 6 serving to keep said member 4 from turning when so secured. The chain 12 is then tightened,.by means of the turnbuckle 15, until the ledges 7 pass snugly beneath the lower edge of the cross-bar 2, and thus supporting said bar. When it is desired to take the trestle apart, the bolt Sis first removed and the chain '12 loosened, when the bar 2 may be removed from between the members 4. The set -screws 11 may then be loosened and the legs 1 removed from the sockets 3, if so desired.

By having the chain 12 carried by the ears 13 of the members 4 it will be readily understood that a pair of members 4 will be at all times in readiness to assemble, this being a great advantage from the fact that one of the members is provided with a threaded orifice and the other one is provided with a smooth orifice.

It will now be seen that l have provided a cheap, durable, and inexpensive device and one that may be assembled or knocked down quickly and easily, and, further, one that may be packedin a very sinallspace when stored or in moving from place to place. It will also be seen that any' of the parts may be easily renewed when broken, &c.

While I have described the preferred combination and construction of parts deemed necessary in materializing my invention, I wish to comprehend all substantial equivalents and substitutes which may be considered as fairly falling within the scope and purview of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In atrestle,the combination witha cross- 737,ooo

bar, of clamping members having an inclined clamping-face at one end and a support-receiving socket at their opposite ends; a bolt to secure said member to the cross-bar; lugs carried upon said faces adapted to take into the face of the cross-bar; a ledge at the lower edge of said inclined faces, so arranged that it will take into the cross-bar when abnormal weight is placed thereon whereby the parts will be drawn closer together; a chain secured to said clamping members; a turnbuckle carried by said chain and adapted to ad just said members, andlegs adapted to take into said sockets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a trestle for scaffolding or the like, the combination with a cross-bar, of clamping members, having a clamping-face at one end and a socket at the opposite end; means carried by the face of said clamping members whereby said members are held against movement when clamped in position; a bolt to secure said clamping member and the cross bar together; legs adapted to fit said socket and means to secure said legs in said sockets and additional means comprising chains and a turnbuckle carried by said clamping members whereby said legs are drawn together, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

SAMUEL GEORGE MORTIMER.

Witnesses:

E. B. GILES, M. W. READ. 

